Improving Air Quality

Northern Indiana to Benefit from NIPSCO’s EPA Settlement

Benefits include Cleaner Air, Local Jobs and Environmental Investment

NIPSCO has been working with the Environmental Protection Agency and others to settle a Notice of Violation (NOV) under the Clean Air Act’s New Source Review permitting process.

NIPSCO is one of more than 50 U.S. electric companies receiving an NOV since 1998.

On Jan. 13, 2011, NIPSCO reached a settlement with the EPA, which requires the company to invest in additional environmental controls and clean air technology at its environmentally compliant coal-fired generating facilities over the next eight years.

Many investments are already planned or completed through NIPSCO’s proactive environmental improvement strategy.

Investment in additional environmental control technology to further improve air quality - about $600 million in the next eight years - will contribute hundereds of new jobs for locally contracted companies during the next eight years, as well as new positions within the company.

Improved air quality will improve the quality of life and promote additional economic development in northern Indiana.

NIPSCO is a leader in improving air quality, and since 1990, has individually reduced the NOx and SO2 emissions by 70 percent with investments of more than $350 million. After these additional investments, NIPSCO will have among the cleanest coal fleets in the state.

In part, due to environmental investments by NIPSCO, northwest Indiana was designated as an attainment area in 2010 for the first time since the 1990 Clean Air Act was adopted. Attainment area status is a key factor in economic and community development.

Ongoing Air Quality, Environmental Improvements

When all of the requirements of the settlement are completed in 2018, NIPSCO’s NOx emissions will be 35 percent below current rates, SO2 emissions will be 80 percent below current rates, and other benefits, such as reduced fleet vehicle emissions and improved air quality monitoring, will be achieved.

NIPSCO will also invest $9.5 million in various environmental improvement projects in the next five years, which could include various direct benefits to customers and the environment through such initiatives as;